Flushing valve



Nov. 13, 1923, 1,474,117 J. P. MEYER FLUSHING VALVE Filed Aug. 9, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13,1923. 1,474,111

J. P. MEYER FLUSHING VALVE Filed Aug. 9, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i Patented Nov. 13,1923.

UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE."

, JOSEPH P. MEYER, or noonnsrna vnw YORK.

FLUSHING vALvE.

Application filed August 9, 1922. Serial No. 580,744;

To all to 7mm it may concern Be it known that LJosnrr-r P. 'Mnrnn, a citizen of the United tates and residing at Rochester Monroe County, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushing Valves, of which the following is aspecilication;

This invention relates. broadly to valve control mechanism and embodies means by which. a valve is automatically closed at a definite predetermined interval of time after it is opened and which includes means by which the time which elapses between open--, ing and closing may be easily regulated and.

controlled by the user desired. It is particularly adapted for use with flushing valves and is shown as so applied but it will be understood that it is not confined to that use but includes novel features of construc- I .well known hour-glass, but it is made of special form and so mounte'fh moved and. re lated to other lements of the device that it will he set for the timing operation by the valve opening means when it operates and will when its tirningzaction is completed and the material. has passed from one chamber to the other. automatically move on its support due to the change in the center of gravity and release the means for-closing the valve and permit it to operate. It is semi-cylin drical in outline with a rotary supporting shaft having its axis coincident with the center line of the cylinder and the chambers are connected on. a radial plane midway be tween the ends of the segment considered circumterentialy by a narrow opening extending radially and means is provided for regulating the width of that opening so as to regulate the time of operation. There is a temporarily acting positive stop for preventing overthrow of the timer when it is turnedto operating position by the open 7 ing of the valve through meshing gear sege ments and there is a yielding stop for thereafter preventing turther turning movement until it has finished its tuning action and the connection between it and the valve is of suchcharacter' as to permit limited further turning without turning the valve when the resistance of the y1eld1ng stop 13 overcome.

The novel features will be more fully under stood from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. lis a side view of a device embody-- ing the invention; r V Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 3* is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the parts in position when the valve is closed;

Fig. i is a view similar to that of Figure '3 showing the parts in the position occupied when the valve is open;

Fig; 5 is a vertical section 5 of Figure 2;

Fig. .6 is a horizontal cross section out on the line one of the chambers of the timing device taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 7 looking 7 down; 1

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the timing device taken on the line 7-7. of Figurel; and i Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view of portion of the valve casing and valve-showmg the lnterengaging stops for limitm relative rotary movement.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing there is a water supply plpe 10 making connection in the "usual way with the valve casing 11 and the pipe 12 connected to the valve casing 011 the other side of the valve is what is called the flushing pipe leading downward to the place desired and as usual is of larger diameter than the supply pipe 10. The valve casing 11 has anopening 13 through it circular in section and slightly tapering in which the rotary valve '14 fits.

At the inner end of the valve 14 there is adisk 15 having its outer periphery at its inner portion fitting within the opening 13 in the valve casing and spaced from the inner end of the valve 14 and it has a pcripheral flange at its outer portion fitting the valve casing around the opening. This disk has openings 16 through it and pins 17 projecting from the inner end of the valve fit in these openings and serve to hold the disk 15 in position and prevent relative rotation; The ,disk 15 also hasa central opening through which a screw 18 freely passes and this screw engages threads .it is fully opened. ever, by reference to FlfIlUG 4; that the stop of the in an opening in the end of the valve 14; and has a head 19 at its outer end some distance from the face of the disk 15. A coiled spring 20 surrounds this screw between disk 15 and its head 19, thus in cooperation with the disk 15 hearing against the surface of the valve casing tending to yieldingly move the valve 14 inward in the valve casing and preserving a tight fit of the valve in the casing. The valve 1 1- has extending transversely through it an elongated opening 21 shown in Figure 5 and in dotted lines in Figure 2, thus connecting the pipe 10 to pipe 1' when in proper position. A reduced cylindrical portion 22 on the valve 14. projects beyond the end of the valve casing and an operating arm 23 fits at one end in a socket 2&- in this extension and extends radially for the purpose of moving the valve in a rotary direction for opening. A coiled spring 25 surrounds this reduced cylindrical portion between the arm 23 and the valve casing, one end being rigidly connected to the valve casing and the other end having a hook 26 engaging the operating arm 23 as seen in Figures 1 and This spring is under tension when the valve is closed and by its engagement with the operating arm 23 always tends to close the valve. A rigid pin 27 projects from the end oi the valve casing near the valve opening and a fixed stop 28 is mounted on the valve 14; projecting from the shoulder 29 outwardly and radially and is in the path of the pin 27 as the valve rotates and this pin and stop are 50 related that they will make contact as shown in Figure 3, when the valve is closed preventing further movement in the closing direction.

In turning the valve l t to open position by the manually operable handle arm 23 its movement limited by the contact of the fixed stop 28 carried by the valve with the fixed stop 30 secured to the end of the valve housing, as shown in Figure 4:. There is an automatic catch 31 in the torm ot elongated longitudinally curved rod pivoted at 32 to a fixed projection from the valve casing near its enc 33 which is normally in the path of the stop carried by the valve, the end 33 being yieldinu'ly held inward in. that path by a leaf s ining 34lsecurcd to the outer surface oft-he valve housing. The inner surface of the catch 31 from the pivot 32 to the end 33 is at an incline so that the stop 28 when the valve is moved to open position will move it outwardly against the tension of the spring and it will act as an automatic stop preventing return movement of the valve under the influence of spring 25 after It will be noted. how- 28 moves a short distance beyond the end catch before striking the stop 30 ending the opening movement and when the operating arm 23 is released, the spring will cause a slight reverse movement of the valve bringing the stop 28 into engagement with the i-atch 31.

The present invention embodies automatic means in operation by the opening of the valve for releasing it from the catch 31 and allowing it to close at the expiration of a predetermined time after it is opened and this automatic means includes a timer 35, wh ch operates on the principle oi an hourglass. is shown particularly in Figure 1, the timer is in the outward form of a seg ment of a cylinder and slightly more than halt of the cylinder and is mounted on a rotary supporting shaft- 36 which is concentric with the cylindrical surface of the segment and which is supported by a bearing in the bar 37 which is rigidly connected at 38 to a part of the valve casing and which extends longitudinally of the inlet pipe 10. The segmental timer is preferably made of thin metal 39 but one end has openings closed by glass 40 whereby it is possible to see what is taking place inside the cham ber formed in the segment of the cylinder. The open space within the segment is divided. into two chambers 41 and 4:2 by inclined. wall surfaces 43. 44 of chamber 41 extending from the ends at a sharp angle to a point near the center line but leaving a narrow radial opening between their inner edges. Similar inclined wall surfaces to and Jr? extend from the end walls of cl'nnnber 12 inwardly at an angle to the margins oi the opening 45 forming an elongated narrow opening in line with the edges of wall 43 and H. A thin plate valve 48 having a straight inner edge is mounted in the segment in such position as to slide laterally ot the opening 4-5 l ietween the ends of the wall. sections i l and 4-6 with a close tit and may be moved inwardly so that. its inner edge will enter the opening on one side thus regulating its width. This valve member may be operated. by a screw threaded bolt 50 having screw threaded engagement with the ear 5i. on the valve 43 and passing through the i xed part 53 of the side wall oi. the segment and having a fixed washer 54L fitting against the inncr surface of the side wall thus preventing its longitudinal movement. it may have a ker'f in its end for turning by a screw driver or may be of any other suitable shape for engagement by a tool for turning. Fluid material. such as sand 55 is placed in the container formed in the cylindrical segment and may be sullicient in amount to practically fill one of the chambers which are on opposite sides of the opening so that it may pass from one chamber to the other as in an hour-glass when the timer is inverted. T he amount of sand and the size of the opening 4.5 of course control the time which will elapse during the passage oi the sand from one chamber lo the other and the time therefore can be controlled by the movement of valve 51 to the position which will permit the operation to be completed within any time within limits which may be desired. The time for difierent adjustments may be determined by eiiperiment.

The shaft 36 of the'timer segment 35 has secured to it a gear segment 56 having teeth which engage teeth on gear segment 57 which mounted on a screw threaded pin the valve member 22 whereby there may be a short relative rotary movement between the valve and the near segment 57. Fig- 'ures 1 and show the arrangement of the parts when the valve is closed and it will be noted that the timer segniient 35 is in a position on that side of its axis which is nearest to thevalve with the chamber ll in a position substantially above chamber 42 so that the fluid material will be in the lower chamher 42; as illustrated in Figure 7. When the handle a 23 is manually turned to the position shown in Figure 4 the timer segment is turned to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 with the chamber 42 as the up per chamber and Th1 the lower chamber and they have not only been inverted but moved to the otherside of the: axis. They are, however, in such relation to a vertical plane that the material passing from the up- ;er chamber 42 to the lower chamber will result in the gradual movement of the center of gravity of the timer to the left in Fig ure 1 or away from the rotary axis, thus increasing the leverage by which the weight oi the material tends to turn the timer fur ther in the direction in which it was turned in opening the valve.

As will be seen by reference to Figure 4 when the valve has been moved to full open position and the operating arm is in the position shown in full lines, alateral projecting roller 62 on the end of a'short arm 63 secured to shaft 36 oi Jhe timer is in contact with the'cno of a flat spring member 64L which spring is pivoted at 65 to the 37 and is supported by its lower shorter end portion (36 resting on the end of the screw 67 passing through an ear 68 carried by the bar 37. The strength of the spring 64: is su'lhcient to prevent rotation of the timer to the left in Figure 1 due to gravity when first turned to position and the material is in the upper chamber of the timer but when the material passes down to the lower chamber 4:1 increasing the leverage ten-ding A thin plate 69is securedto the bar Q leases the 23 the valve makes a sli though .9 turn the timer, its strength is not sulllcient resist tie turningand is such that the timer will be released by it and turned downin Figure 1 whenthe timing action is completed and thematerial has passed into the lower chamber. The screw 67 provides means for properly regulating the tension oi the spring and its resistance to turn? above spring 64- in such position that it limit the upward turning movement or that spring and hold it in position to he engaged by the roller 62. Inorder to prevent an overthrow of the timer segment 35 by its momentum when the handle arm'23 is turned to open the valve a rod '70 is mounted in the projecting portion 22 01"" the valve and turns with it to the position shown in full lines in Figure 4 and is then in the path of and practically incontact with laterally projecting lug 71 secured to the segmental gear 56 on the timer shaftaniil thus operates as a positive stop to limit any further turning" of the timer due to 1nomentum. However. when the operator re ht reverse movement until the stop 28-str1ires the end oi catch 31 as heretofore described and this movement is suflicient to carry the rod out of thepath of the lug 7]. whereby the timer is no longer prevented from tnrn ing by it The pin and. slot connection 60 and 61 between the gear segment 57 and the valve permits this reverse movement of the valve without a reverse movement of the segments or the timer. /Vhen the timingaction is completed and the material has all passed from the upper to the lower chamber of the timer it will, as above stated, he released by tie spring 64 rotating to the left under the influence of gravityand during that movement the laterally projecting" roller 62 will strike the lower end portion 7 2 of the'oatch 1 thereby tripping it and moving: it out of the path of the stop 28 on the valve perinitti,ng the valve to automatically and quickly close under the thermovement in preventing overthrow. It

will be noted that the mechanism constituting; the present invention occupies little space and easily be enclosed in a suitable housing of simple form, as indicated in outline by dotted line 74 in Figure 1 althe casing forms no part of the present invention and is not shown.

As heretofore stated, Figs,- il. and 3 show ill) lll

lil

the mechanism in the position occupied when the valve is closed and at this tin 1e the hourglass timer is in the position shown in Fig. i with the lower chamber 2 practically "full of sand and the upper chamber il empty, and the coiled spring surrounding the projecting end of the valve secured at one end to the valve casing and at the other end to the operating arm 23 under tension tending to turn the valve and arm anticlockwise, but this movement is pr vented by the contact of the stop 28 rigidly secured to the end oi the valve with the pin rigidly secured to the valve casing. To open the valve, the arm is manually turned to the right until the stop 28 on the valve strikes the end of stop 30 secured to the end of the valve housing. Duringthis mov ment the gear segment 5? mounted on the outer end of the valve turns the same number of degrees as arm 23 and tie near seg ment 36, having a shorter radius but longer are secured to the end of the shaft 236 ro tatively supporting the hour-glass timer, turns simultaneously but at greater speed and through an arc of about 150, causing the chamber 42 containing the sand, to move to a position at a high er level than the empty chamber tl. The stop 28, furthermore, during this movement, strikes the nclined lower surface of pivotal catch 31 between its pivot and contact end 33, turning that encout of its path against ti e tension. of spring. 234: which spring causes the catch to agaii move into the path of stop 28 when thai stop passes beyond it and during this move ment the rod 70, secured at one end to tin valve, moves from the substantially vei tical position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to th. left and to the nearly horizontal positioi. shown in Fig. 4;, with its end in th path of the lug l rigidly secured to the gear segment 56 on the timer shaft 36. thus serving as an automatic stop preventing ove.r;l1row the timer when the operating arm suddenly steps. A small roller 62 rotativoly mounted on a stub shai'r't secured to gear segment 56 on the timer shalt moves during the said. operation from the position at the right of the axis, as shown in Fig". 3, to the position at the left of the axis, shown in Fig. i. resting on the upper convexly curved end portion of the leaf spring 64-.

Vhen' the operator releases arm 23 at the end. of its spring movement (see full lines F 4i) above described it will automatically, l'iecause of the tension ot spring 26.. move a short distance in the reverse direction (see dotted lines 4;) until stop 28, secured to the valve, comes in contact with the end oi catch 31, and it should he noted that the gear segment 57 on the outer end 0% the valve does not make this short reverse movement with the valve and arm, but the headed pin 61, mounted on the end of the valve along it for a short distance and that the rod '70 moves from the full line position in the path of lug 71 to the dotted line position out of said path.

At this period of the operation the roller 62 rests on the end of leaf spring (3i, which resists and temporarily prevents tllitl'cll) I wise movement of the timer and it" segment 56, and. the chamlier 12 con the sand is new the upper eluiniliier. and as above stated the valve 1 I open position against the tea on ol' coilei spring by the end 3 of catch tact with stop 28 on the valve. remains fully open and the gar vice immovable a prcdeterninr l period of time durin iiiiich the sand in the upper chamber of the hourglass tiluer pa ses to the lower chamber at such ang le to vertical and to the vertical plane of the timer axis 0 rotation, that the center of gravity will gradually move to the left of said v rtical plane until the excess weight and leverage on that side of said plane are suiiicient to overcome the resistance of leaf spring {34; and cause the roller (32 to bind the end 01" spring 64: out or its path and the timer and its gear segment 56 to rotate a short distance anticlockwise. During this rotation the gear segment on the end of the valve rotate a shorter distance in clockwise direction and there is a correspond ngly short relative movement oi the pin 61 in slot (ill in the same direction as in openingthe valve. The roller 62 on the timer gear segi'uont 56. after passing the end of spring Get in its iilownward movement strikes the lower end portion 72 of the elongated pivotal catch 31 and causes it to turn on its pivol 32 sui'li- ('iently to raise its contact end i 23 out of the oath of stop 28 on the valve. thus allowing; me tension oi. sp in;- 525 to have full play n rotating the valve to closed positio'i'i. The turning power of the spring is much greater than that oi the gravity overbalancc oii the timer and thus the rotary movement ol' the timer and the gear sogn'ients 56 and 57 caused by said overbalance at once interrupted and reversed and those parts, by reason of the gear coni'iecl'ion, rotate with the valve back to the position normally occupied when the valve is closed. as shown in Fig. 1 and 3.

The contact oi stop 28 on the valve with pin 27 on the valve casing limits this reverse movement of the valve and the contact of the elongated projection 73 on the side of the timer segment with the upper edge of gear segment 57 serves as a stop "for the timer and prevents overthrow (see Figs. 2 and The relative position of. the chainbors of the timer being thus reversed, the

lllll lll sand will automatically pass from the upper chamber 41 to the lower chamber 42 preparatory to the next operation.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention is shown for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that it is not limited to those details of construction beyond what is indicated in the following claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to the secured by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a device of the class described the combination with a valve, of manually operable means for opening it, means or closing it, and means for causing said closing means to operate at the expiration of a predetermined time after opening including a timer of hour-glass form and means actuated by the opening means for moving said hour-glass timer to operative position.

2. The combination with a valve, of yield ing means tending to move it to closed position, means for moving it to open position, automatic means for holding it in open position and automatic means for disabling said holding means at 'the expiration of a fixed time after opening including 'as the timing device a pivotally mounted hourglass member which is moved to position for operation by the movement of the means for opening the valve and which at the expiration of its timing operation will move to effeet the disabling.

3. The combination with a valve, of yielding means tending to move itto closed position, means for moving it to open position, automatic means for holding it in open position and automatic means for disabling said holding means at the expiration of a fixed time after opening including as the timing: device apivotally mounted hour glass member which is moved to position for operation by the movement of the means for opening the valve which at the expiration oi its timing operation will move to effect the disabling, means for regulating the size of the passageway connecting the chambers of the hour glass timing member whereby the elapsed time between opening and closing may be varied as desired.

4. The combinationwith a valve, of yield-H ing means tending to move it to closed po sition, means forinoving it to open position,

automatic means for holding it in open position, a timer consisting of an hour glass member [having a horizontal rotary support midway between its ends onone side whereby it will tend to turn by gravity when in operating position, means operated by the valve in opening for moving it to operative position but at a slight incline to the vertical whereby the vertical; line'through its center of gravity will change during operation, the

means for turning it being so connected as to permit further limited movement beyond timer during said further movement for disabling said means for holding the valve open thus permitting it to close.

5. The combination with a valve, of yielding means tending to move it to closed position, means for moving it to open position, automatic means for holding it in open position, .a timer consisting of anhour glass member havinga horizontal rotarysupport midway between its ends on one side whereby it will tend to turn by gravity when in operative position, means operated by the valve in opening for moving it to operative position but at a. slight incline to the vertical whereby the vertical line through its center of gravity will change during operation, the means for turning it being so connected as to permit further limited movement beyond that imparted by the opening means, yield- ,ing means so constructed as to temporarily prevent said further movement adapted to permit such movement by the action of grave ity when the timing action is completed and the material has passed into the lower chamber ofthe timer, and'means actuated by the timer during said further movement for dis: abling said means for holding the valve open thus permitting it to close, and automatic means for temporarily interposing a positive stop to further movement of the timer at the end of the movement imparted bythe opening means thus preventing overthrow.

6. In a device of the class describedthe a side ofits central portion by means, of a 11 shaft parallel to the axis of the valve, means operated by said opening means for turning said timer on its pivot approximately 150, yielding means preventing further turning of the timer until its timing action is com- 12 pleted and the center of gravity is changed sufiiciently 'torelease it thus permitting further turning and means carried by said timer for trippingsaid automatic 'catch during such further turning movement thereby 1 permitting the valve to close.

7. In a device or the class described the combination with avalve'casing of a rotary valvetherein'having limited rptary movement to open and closed position and yielding means tending to move it to closed posi tion, means for manually rotating it to open position, an automatic catch for engaging and holding it in open position, a timer semicylindrical in outline mounted in a concentric rotary shaft parallel to the axis of the valve and having the characteristics of an hour glass, but set at a slight angle to vertical, a gear segment connected to the timer shaft with its teeth in mesh with a gear segement carried by the valve and so related thereto that the opening of the valve will turn the timer approximately 150, a stationary yielding spring catch adapted to be engaged by a member connected to and movable with the timer when the valve reaches fully open position having just such strength as to prevent further movement of the timer until its contents have passed from one chamber to the other and to then release it permitting further movement, and means whereby said member will in the further movement trip said automatic catch and allow the valve to close.

8. In a device of the class described the combination with a valve casing of a rotary valve therein having limited rotary movement to open and closed position and yielding means tending to move it to closed position, means for manually rotating to open position, an automatic catch for engaging and holding it in open position, the engaging surfaces being so related that there will be a slight reverse movement of the valve after it is moved to the limit of its opening movement before they will make contact, a timer semi cylindrical in outline mounted on a concentric shaft parallel to the axis of the valve and having the characteristics of an hour glass, but set at a slight angle to vertical, a gear segment 011 the timer shaft, a gear segement carried by the valve, having limited relative rotary movement therewith with its teeth in mesh with those of the timer segment and so related thereto that the opening of the valve will turn the timer approximately 150, a stationary yielding spring catch adapted to be engaged by a member connected to and movable with the timer when the alve reaches fully open position having j ust such strength as to prevent further movement oi. the timer until its contents have passed from one chamber to the other and to then release it permitting further movement, and means whereby said member will in the further movement trip said automatic catch and allow the valve to close, a member secured on the projectingportion of the shaft in such position that it will be interposed in the path of a fixed member carried by the timer and act as a positive stop for the timer preventing overthrow when the valve reaches the limit of its opening movement but which will be moved to inoperative position by the reverse movement of the valve.

9. In a device of the class d combination with a valve of me ing it to open position, yield g means te; ing t close it, automatically operating but releasable means :tor holding it open, an hour-glass-lilre timer for disabling said holding means in the form of segment of a cylinder mounted on a rotary in i concentrio with its outer surface the connecting passageway between the chambers the timer being in the form of a narrow opening extending radially midway between the ends of the segment, means connected to said valve for holding said timer on one side of its axis in one of its timing posi tions and for turning it to such inverted position on the other side of its axis when the valve is opened that the tendency to turn on the axis due to gravity will be increased by the passage of material from the upper to the lower chamber, a yielding stop preventing rotation but automatically releasing the timer at the end of its timing action and means operated by said timer for disabling the valve holding means when released.

10. In a device of the class described a timer havin the main features and characteristics of an hour-glass and the outer form of a segment of a cylinder formed oi thin material mounted on a rotary axis concentric ith said cylinder the inner surfaces of said segment near and on both sides oi its central radial plane being inclined inwardly from the ends of said segment at a sharp angle loi'igitudinally to said plane forming a narrow radial opening at that plane thereby i orming two chambers in said segment with a small connecting passageway, a prc determined volume of sand-like material in the container formed by said chambers adapted to pass through said opening from one chamber to the other in a predetermined period of time, and automatic means for temporarily preventing further rotary movement when the timer is turned to a predetermined operative position in which the passage of material from one chamber to the other will move the center of gravity outward and for releasing it and permitting turning when the timing action is completed.

11. In a device of the class described a timer having the main features and characteristics of an hour-glass and the outer form of a segment of a cylinder formed oi? thin material mounted on a rotary axis concentrio with said cylinder, the inner surfaces of said segment near and on both sides of its central radial plane being inclined inwardly from the ends of said segment at a sharp angle longitudinally to said plane forming a narrow radial opening at that plane therc by forming two chambers in said segment til lllOY" with a small connecting passageway, a predetermined volume of sand-like material in the container formed by said chamber adapted to pass through said opening from one chamber to the other in a predetermined period of time, and automatic means for temporarily preventing further rotary movement when the timer is turned to a predetermined operative position in which the passage of material from one chamber to the other will move the center of gravity outward and for releasing it and permitting turning when the timing action is completed, a valve for said narrow opening in the form oi an elongated thin plate with a straight edge slidably movable across said opening and means operablefrom the outer side of said segment for moving said valve to regu- 7 late the timing with the same amount of material.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOSEPH P. MEYER. 

